stan'sredxj

I bought my rig for $1500 off of my wife's cousin. If it was anyone else, I wouldn't have given anymore than $800, but he needed the money and I had it, plus I've always wanted a Jeep and thought it would be a good way to learn mechanic skills. Boy was I right. I've had it a little over a year and have been, when the finances allow, making steady improvements. When I first got the beast, I had a couple of die hard crawlers give it a once over to give me starting points. I had one of them test the 4wd. Of course i went with him and i noticed the light for the full time came on. When I got it, it had three rubber tubes going to the vacuum unit/motor. After I got the ok from him, I went to the local JY and got the correct assembly for it. Now the light doesn't come on and i can't tell if the 4wd is actually activated when it's applied. I have 31 x 10.50's road runners since I drive well over 50 interstate miles to work and yes this is my DD. I've tried to get it in a situation to use the 4wd but so far, I can't seem to get it there, not that i'm complaining. I've tried mud holes, embankments and before i put it in 4wd it pulls through or up the obstacle. It's not set up for crawling yet. With winter setting in I just want to be prepared.

Like I said, I'm new to the whole mechanics world so I'm sure to some of you my questions seem silly, but it never hurts to ask...Differentials...I think I have a Dana 30 or 35 in the front and I definately have a Chrysler 8.25 in the rear. I eventually want to put 33's on, I've read in some of the threads that tire size could/will affect your diffs performance. Is that just a simple gear ratio change or do I need to upgrade to a Dana 44 both front and rear???

A brief history of this beast ( or future beast) is I bought it third hand with only 132,000 miles. From what I've read in the Forum over the past year, that's not bad. Here's the crappy part. The original owner, used blocks and spacers for their lift with the original suspension. Needless to say, by the time I got it, the puny leafs were all but draggin the road. So as an anniverssary to me, my wife bought me a tuff country 3.5 lift. It actually arrived on my anniversary. I've changed motor mounts, transmission mount, hubs, rotors, brakes, calipers, starter/solenoid, shocks, t-case seal ( to be honest, i really should redo the t-case, it leaks like a sieve), u joints, pitman arm ( found that out on the interstate when I got DW with a tractor trailer on my tail doing 70. Needless to say...INTENSE), trackbar, pretty much the entire front suspension. I need to redo the engine but thats a project my buddy said he'd do for $350. Better him than me.
and obviously I think I want to change the Diffs to Dana 44's.
I plan on posting pics as soon as I learn how to work my wifes camera. I thought of shooting my lift going on, but my father in law was helping and i just wanted to get it on as quick as possible. thanks for any help and suggestions/comments. oh yeah, I've already trimmed the front fenders and was working on the rear when, of all things, I broke my right collar bone in 4 places, so the mods are going to have to wait until my wings fixed. Thats probably why I been on here so much. again. thanks